Train-dispatching system for railroads



March 3, 1931. p c E 1,795,084

TRAIN DISPATCHING SYSTEM FOR RAILROADS Filed April 13. 1929 ssheets-sheet 1 fiiwa '3 BYMZZM March 3,1931. OfH. DICKE 1,795,084

TRAIfi DISPATCHING SYSTEM FOR RAILROADS Filed April 13. 1929 3Sheets-Sheet 2 Way 5ta.Na.1

TORNEY Patented Mar. 3, 1931 PATENT OFFECE OSCAR H. DICKE, OF ROCHESTER,NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO GENERAL RAILWAY SIGNAL I COMPANY, 011" ROCHESTER,NEW YORK TRAIN-DISPATCHDNG SYSTEM FOR R-AILROADS Application filed April13, 1929. Serial No. 354,881

The present invention relates to train dispatching ystems, and moreparticularly to synchronous selector control apparatus for controllingwayside signals of such dispatching system. In the prior application ofDicks and Hitchcock Ser. No. 846,731 filed March 13, 1929, ways andmeans have been snown whereby channel selecting relays at various waystations will be rendered active first at one way station, then at thenext etc. Tn said prior application the control was transferred from oneway to the next succeeding way station only after each of the channelselecting relays at such one way station had all been operatedsequentially, the organization of circuits being such that line relay atonly one way station could be operated at one time.

In accordancewith the present invention it is proposed to render theline relay at only one way station of a large number of way stationsactive at one time to control its sociated channel selectin relays theline relays at all way stations unctioning, but the circuits controlledthereby being rcnderec operable at one way station at a time only. Alsoin accordance with the present invention it is proposed not only toselect the way stations one at a time, but it is proposed to selec: suchway station distinctively and irrespective of channel selecting relaycontrol and to interrupt all of the channel or message circuits at suchway station separately by the way station selecting means at all othertimes except when such a way station is selected.

Another feature of the present invention resides in the provision of waystation selecting means which require no additional line circuits orwires. Another feature of the present invention resides in a novel bankof channel selecting relays of the neutral type which channel selectingrelays may be rendered operative one at a "time sequentially forsuccessively closing distinctive channel circuits.

Other objects, purposes and characterisic features of the presentinvention will ap pear as the description thereof progresses and will inpart be obvious from the companying drawings.

In describing the invention in detail reference will be made to theaccompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1A shows the apparatus in the dispatchers office of one systemembodying the present invention;

Fig. 1B illustrates the apparatus at two successive way stations of thesame system, so that Figs. 1A and 1B laid end to end constitute thecomplete system;

Fig. 2 snows the station selecting means of a modified system, thechannel selecting relays and other features of this modified systembeing the same as that shown in Figs. 1A and 18.

Referring first to Fig. 1B of the drawings, this figure shows onepassing siding PS of a railway system having many such sidings as wellas diverging routes, crossings, and alike, of which the remainingportion of the system has for convenience been omitted. The track switchat the east end of this passing siding PS is preferably operated bysuitable poweroperated means such as the switch machine Shi l), theswitch at the west end being con trolled by a similar switch machineSMV.

he east end of this passing siding PS has associated therewith twostarting signals 2 and 2, an entering signal 1 and a take siding 1whereas the west end of this passing siding is provided with startingsignals 7 and 7 an entering signal 8 and a take siding signal 8 There isalso provided a message wire over which the wayside signals and switchmachines are controlled and indications are transmitted, a stepping wirewhereby the various relays are controlled in step-by-step fashion insynchronism with relays in the dispatchers ofiice, and a common returnwire, as

-well as a (SO-cycle transmission line TL, ex-

tending through the entire railway system. As will appear hereinafter,the switch machines and signals at many passing sidings may becontrolled over these comparatively few line wires.

At each way station are employed a number of relays used for variouspurposes, and for convenience it is necessary only to mention the relaysat the second way station, the corres onding relays of oth r WaystatiODS being designated by like reference characters havingdistinctive exponents. At way station No. 2 are provided a signal relayCR a direction oftravel relay DB and a switch machine relay SMR for thepurpose of controlling the signals and switch machines located at thatparticular way station, a de tector track relay DT being employed toindicate in the dispatchers office the passage of a train by such-waystation. The way station selecting relays include a high frequency relayHFR a polar line relay LE a low frequency relay LFR and a repeater relayBB whereas the channel selecting relays of this particular way stationhave been designated E F G and H Referring nowto the dispatchers officeequipment (see Fig. 1A) wherein the railway system, to which thedispatching system embodying the present invention is applied, has

been reproduced in miniature, of which the and 53MB through the mediumof the synchronous selector system in a manner as more clearly describedhereinafter. a

The dispatchers office equipment also includes commutator. apparatusincluding the rotatable arm 10, which is rotated through the medium ofsuitable means such as a direct current motor M, and a high frequency 1generator HFG, as well as-a source of 60-cycle alternatin currentillustrated b the transto .V

former 12. The dispatchers oflice equip ment also includes a highfrequency relay HFR", polar line .relay LR", and a series of way stationselecting relays SE SE SE and SR. Each of these way station selectingrelays is adapted to connect the line relay LR to "a particular group ofchannel selecting relays. The channel selecting relays for the waystation selecting relay SR being designated A, B, C, and D, the channelselecting relays for the way station selecting relay SR being designatedE, F, G, and H and the channel selecting relay for the way stationselecting relay SR- being designated 1, J, K, and L.

The stepping line heretofore mentioned is also used as a transfer line,in that the control is transferred from one way station to anotherthrough the medium of alternating current superimposed on this samestepping line. It will be noted that adjacent to each line relaythere iscontained in series with the stepping circuit an inductive reactance 15,containing an exponent corresponding to the exponent of the associatedrelay, .and

bridged around this line relay and reactance is a tuned unit comprisingan inductance 16 and a condenser 17 having the properexponents, thistuned unit being tuned to resonate to the high frequency of thegenerator HFG, so thatthis high frequency readily flows around the linerelay LR. It will be noted that the high frequency relays HFR areconnected in multiple between the stepping line and the common returnwire C through a condenser 18, these condensers being so small as not toallow the GO-cycle current to flow freely therethrough, and of courseblocking the flow of direct current. In addition to the high frequencyrelay HFR having an exponent corresponding to the station there is a lowfrequency relay LFR having a similar exponent for each way station,these low frequency relays being picked up through a circuit connectingsuch relay with the next preceding way station, through the medium ofthe same stepping line as will more clearly appear hereinafter. It maybe pointed out here that the circuits for carrying the lowfrequency'GO-cycle current to these low frequency relays LRF havingsuitable exponents include units resonated to this 60-cycle frequency,the first of which comprises condenser 37 and inductance 38, the secondunit comprises condenser 39 and inductance 40 and the third unitcomprises condenser 41 and inductance 42, each of these referencenumbers having an exponent corresponding to the particular way stationat which they are located.

With this apparatus in mind, it is believed that the detail constructionof the system, as well as its operating characteristics and features,are best understood by considering the operation of the system.

Opemm'0n.Let us assume that the motor M is started by connecting it toits source of current, such as the battery 43, shown through a suitableswitch 44, thereby causing the contact arm 10 to be rotated in aclockwise direction. When'the arm 10 engages the contact 21, thebridging contact 45 engages the stationary contacts 46- and 47 so thatsimultaneously there are completed two alternating current circuits oneincluding a high frequency source HFG and the other including the lowfrequency -cycle source 12. The first or high frequency circuit may betraced as follows :beginning at the generator HFG blocking and tuningcondenser 48, wires 49, 50, and 51, stationary contact 21, contact arm10, wire 52 to the stepping line over which the high frequency mayreadily flow by reasonof the tuned units 1617, having exponentscorresponding to the way station at which they are located, which unitsare tuned to resonate to the high frequency, and from whence thecircuits divided through the high frequency relays HFR, HFR HFR etc.,through their associated condensers 18, 18 18 etc., to common returnWire C connected to the other side of high frequency generator HFG. Thesecond or low frequency circuit may be traced as follows :lbeginning atthe secondary winding of the transformer 11, condenser 6, wire 55,contacts 64:547, wire 56, from whence the circuit divides through theupper winding of the relay SR through condenser 57, back to thetransformer 11, and through wire 58, the stepping wire to the first waystation, the wire 59, front contact of the high frequency relay HFR wire61, contact 62 of line relay LR in its left hand position, wires 63 and.64, winding of the low frequency relay LFR wire 65, condenser 41inductance 42 to the common return wire 0 back to the transformer 11.Attention is directed to the fact that there is no circuit relay for LFRatthis time because the contact 108 of relay LR is to the left.

lhe first or high frequency circuit picks up the station selecting relaySR the upper.

winding being designed for high frequency alte:n. ting current, in thedispatchers office, which relay is then stuck up through thefollOW-ingcircuit;+beginning at the terminal B of a suitable battery,back contact 66 of the nelay SR wire 67, back contact 68 of the relaySR- wire 69, back contact 70 of the relay SR wire 71, stick contact 72of the relay SR through the lower winding of this relay SE to the Wire Cconnected to the other terminal of said battery. With the relay SRenergized it will be noted that current may flow from the contact 73 ofthe line relay LR through contact 74 and 7 5 of relay SR to the channelselecting relays A, B, C, and I) located in the dispatchers office,

Similarly, as the rotating arm 10 advance-s a little further, the highfrequency relay H B- at the way station No. l is de' ncre gizecl,causing completion of a stick circ it for the, low frequency relay LFRmay be traced as follows :starting secondary winding 77 of the tra 78,wires 79, back contact- 80 of the HFR wire 81, stick contact 82 of thefrequency relay LFR wires 83 and 64., winding of, this low frequencyrelay LFR wires 65, condenser 41 inductance 42 common return wire C,inductance 38 condenser 87 back to the secondary winding 77. It is thusseen that the low frequency relay LFR is stuck up through the medium ofits contact 85 and allows the channel selecting relays at the waystation No. 1 to be conurolled through the medium of the contact 86 ofthe line relay L B- in a manner as hereinafter more clearly explained inconnection with way station causing the channel selecting relays A, B,C, and D, and the corresponding channel selecting relays (not shown) atstation 1 to be operateo sequentially and in synchronism.

Let us now see how the control in the dispatchers oliice is transferredfrom the group of channel selecting relays A, B, C, and l) to the groupof channel selecting relays if, F, G, and H, and see how the control istransferred from the way station No. 1 which way station is effectivebecause its low frequency relay Ll R is energized, is transferred to theway station No. 2 by energizing the low frequency relay LFRZ andsimultaneously therewith (lo-energizing the low frequency LE Since thestepping current applied to the line relays LR", LE and LE from thebattery 44 through the medium of inductance 54:, consists of a series of5 impulses, the first of which was positive and the last of which waspositive, leaves the line relays LR", LE and Llt all in their right handposition, these line relays being of the direct current PC1 manentmagnet stick type, so that if operated to a particular position thecontacts thereof will remain in such position in spite ofde-energization of its winding until the relay has been energized bycurrent of the reverse polarity.

With these line relays assuming their right hand position and thecontact arm 10 engaging the stationary contact 27, the high frequencyrelays HFR", HFR and HFR will be energized. Energization of the highfrequency relay HFB", effects energization of the relay SR through thefollowing circuit:beginning at the terminal B of a suitable battery,front contact 90 of the relay HFR wire 91, contact 92 of the line relayLR assuming its right hand position, wires 93 and 94, front contact 95of the relay SR wires 96 and 97, winding of the relay -lt to commonreturn wire C connected to the other terminal of said battery. As soonthe. relay SR picks up it is stuck up through the following circuit:-beginning at the terminal B of said battery, back contact 66, of therelay SR wire 67, back contact 68 of the relay SR wires 39 and 98, stickcontact 9.9 of the relay SR wire 97, winding of the relay SE to commonreturn wire C. As soon as this relay SR picks up, the relay SR isde-energized because its stick circuit is broken at the back contact 70of the relay SR Let us now see how momentary energization of the highfrequency relays HFR and HFR causes the station selection low frequencyrelay LFR to be energized and the station selecting relay LFR to bede-energized, remembering that the line relays Li 1 and LE now assumetheir right hand position, and bearing in mind that the repeater relayBB which is a slow-dropping relay is ion ' assuming its right'handenergized through the front contact 85 of the relay LFR As the highfrequency relay HFR and HER pick up the low frequency relay LEE isde-energized becaused its stick circuit is broken at, the back contact80 of the relay HERE Since, however, the repeater BB is slow-droppingthe low frequency relay LFR at the way station 2 is pickedup through thefollowing circuit before the repeater relay EH drops2-beginning at thesecondary winding 101 of the transformer 78, Wire 102, front contact 103of the repeater relay RB}, wire 104, stepping line, it being noted thatthe alternating current is blocked in both directions by the line relaysLE LE having in multiple therewith a unit resonated to high frequencywhich blocks the flow of low frequency current, wire 105, front contact106 of the relay HFR wire 107, contact 108 of the relay LE position,wires 109 and 110, relay LFR wire 111 condenser 41 nductance 42 commonreturn wire, inductance 40 condenser 39 back to the secondary wlnding101 of the transformer 7 8. i

As soon as the way station selecting relay EFR is energized, bearinginmind that the high frequency relay HFR is immediately de energized,causes the following stick cir cult for this relay LFR to be completedbeginning at the secondary winding 113 of the transformer 1'14, wire115, back contact 116 of the relay HFR wire 117, front'stick contact118, of the relay LFRZ wires 119 and 110,'winding of the relay LFR wire111, condenser 41 inductance 42 ,-common wire C, inductance 38 condenser37*, wire 120, back to secondary winding113,

The way station selecting relay LFB is now energized and all other lowfrequency waystation selecting relays are de-energized,

so that the only channel selecting relays which are operated at any ofthe way statlons are those located at way station No, 2, these channelselecting relays being controlled through the'niedium of the frontcontact 121 of the relay LFR as will directly appear. In this connectionit should be remembered that in the dispatchers office the only one ofthe SR relays energized is the relay SRZ'and this relay SR through themedium of contacts 122, 123, and 124 con ditions the channel selectingrelays E, F, G, and H for operation in synchronism with the channelselecting relays E F G and H located at the way station No. 2. i

Let us now observe how these two groups of 7 channel selecting relaysare operated sequentiallyand relays of like reference letter areoperated in synchronism. When the contact arm 10 engages the stationarycontact 28 direct current of negative polarity is applied to the linecircuit thus operating the line relays LE LE and LE to their left handposition. With the contact 7 3 of channel selecting relay E, wire 131,back contact 132 of the channel selecting relay F, Wires 133 and 134,back contact 135 of the relay G, wires 136 and 137 back contact 138 ofthe relay H to common return wire C connected to the other terminal ofsaid battery.

Similarly, the corresponding channel selecting relay E is energizedsimultaneously with the energization ofthe relay E through the followingcircuit :beginning at the terminal B, front contact 121, of the relayLFR wires 140 and 141, polar contact 142 -of the relay LE assuming itsleft hand position, wires 143, contact 204 of relay F wires 144 and 168winding of the channelselectlng relay E wire 145, back contact 146 ofthe chan nel selecting relay F wires 147 and 148, back contact 149 ofthe relay G wires 150 and 151, back contact'152 of the relay H to commonreturn wire C connected: to the other terminal of said battery. 7 Thechannel selecting relays E and E are thus energized simultaneously andmessage circuit including front contacts of these relays may connectsuitable. apparatus at waystation No. 2 and suitable apparatus in thedispatchers ofiice, in a manner as more clearly described hereinafter.It should be noted that the relays E and E are stuck up through thefollowing stick circuits, respectively, as soon as they assume theirenergized condition :(1) B, wire 158, stick contact 159, Wire 160,winding of relay E, 131, 132, 133, 134, 135, 136, 137, and 13s to" o;and (2) B, 165, 166, 167, 168, winding of the relay E 145, 146, 147,148, 149, 150, 151,and 152 to G. Let us now observe how the movement ofthe contact arm 10 of the dispatchers oflice into contactingrelationship with stationary contact 29 causes the relays F and F to bepicked up simultaneously. This shifting of the contact 10 appliescurrent of the positive polarity to the line circuit thus operating theline relays LR, LR and LE to the right. Also, not only are the relays Eand E held up through a stick circuit, but the relays F and F are pickedup. The pick up circuit for the relay F may be traced as follows:beginning at the terminal B, contact 73 of the relay LR to the right,wires 155 and 156, contact 122 of the relay SR wires 157, and 170, frontcontact 171 of the relay E, wires 172 and 173, winding of the relay F,wires 174 and 134, back contact 135 of the relay G, wires 136 and 137,back contact 138 of the relay H to common return wire 0 connected to theother terminal of saidbattery. It will be noted that with the relay Fpicked up the energizing and stick circuits for the relay E are brokenat the back contact 132 of therelay F causing the relay E to assume itsale-energized position. Similarly, with the line relay LE moved to theright pick-up circuit is completed for the channel selecting relay Fwhich may be traced as follows :beginning at the terminal front contact121 of the relay LFR wires 140 and 141, contact 142 of the relay LEassuming its right hand position, wires 163 and 164, front contact 177of the relay E wires 178 and 179, winding of the relay Fri wires 180 and148, back contact 149 of the relay G wires 150and 151, back contact 152of the relay H to common return wire 0. Also, picking up of the channelselecting relay F breaks the energizing and stick circuits of thechannel selecting relay E by opening its back contact 146, so that nowonly the channel selecting relays F and F areenergized andcontrolchannels may be completed through front contacts of these channelselecting relays.

The relays F and F are now stuck up through the following stick circuits:(1) B, 185, 186, 187, 173, winding of relay F, 174, 134, 135, 136, 137,138, and (2) B, 190, 191, 192, 179, winding of the relay F 180, 148,149, 150, 151, 152, to common return wire C.

.Movement of the contact arm into engagement with the stationary contacteffects operation of the line relays LR LE etc. to the left therebycausing closure of the following pick-up circuits for the relays G and G(1) beginning atthe terminal B, contact 7 3 of the line relay LE to theleft, 126, 127, 12s, 123, 129, 196, 197, 198, 199, winding of the relayG, 200, 137 and 138, to common return wire C; and (2) beginning at theterminal B, front contact 121 of the relay LFR 140, 141, contact 142tothe left, 143, 204, 205, 206 winding of the relays G 207, 151 and 152,to common return wire 0.

Vfith the relays G and G energized the following stick circuits forthese relays are closed -(l) beginning at the terminal B, wire 211,contact 212, wires 213 and 199, winding of the relay G, wires 200, 137and i l 138, to common return wire C; and, (2) beginning at the terminalB, wire 215, contact 216, wires 217 and 206, winding of the relay Gwires 207, 151 and 152 to common return Wire C. The relays G and G arethus stuck up.

As the rotating contact arm 10 moves to the next stationary contact 31the various line relay LR", LR and LE are moved LO theiright handposition thereby completing the following pick up circuits for therelays H and H respectively :'(1) terminal B, contact 73 of the linerelay LR to the right 155 156, 122, 157, 210, 221, 222, 223,

224, winding of the relay H, 225, to common return wire C; and, (2)beginning at the terminal B, front contact 121 of the relay LFR 1.40,141, contact 142 in its right hand position, 163, 214, 236, 237, 238,230, winding of the relayH wire 231, to common return wire C. The relaysH and H are thus simul taneously energized to complete suitable channelcircuits as more clearly described hereinafter. Also, picking up ofrelays H.

and 1 breaks the stickcircuits of relay G and G at back contacts 138 and152, respectively.

With the relays H and H now energized the following stick circuits forthese relays are closed :(1) beginning at the terminal B, contact 73 tothe right, 155, 156, 122, wires 157, 210 and 232, stick contact 233 ofthe relay H, wires 234 and 224, winding of the relay H, wire 225, tocommonreturn wire C, and (2) beginning at the terminal B, contact 121 ofthe relay LFR wires 140 andv 141, contact 142 to the right, Wires 163,214 and 236, front stick contact 237 of the relay H wires 238 and 230,winding of the relay H wire'231, to common return wire C. If therotating contact arm now engages the next stationary contact 32, theline relays LR", LE and LR? are moved to the loft, thereby de-energizingthe relays H and H because their stick circuits include the right lTiandcontacts of these line relays LR and BB As the rotating contact arm 10engages the next and longer stationary contact 33,

high, frequency current will be applied to the stepping line therebyenergizing the high frequency relays HFR", HFR? and HFR Since the linerelay LE now assumes the left hand position, it having assumed the righthand position the last time the high frequency relay HFR was energized,the control will be transferred from the relay SR to the relay SR inthat the following pick-up circuit for the relay SR is closed :beginningat the terminal B, front contact of the relay HFR", wire 91, contact 92of the relayLB to the left, wire 240, front contact 241 of the relaySP3, wires 242 and 243, winding of the relay SR to common return wire Q.As soon as this relay SR is energized, the following stick circuittherefore is closed :beginning at the terminal B, back contact 66 of therelay SR wires 67 and 244, front stick contact 245 of the relay SR,wires 246 and 243, winding of the relay SB, to common return wire C.With the relay SR now energized the stick circuit for the relay SR isbroken at the back contact 68 of the relay SR so that the relays I, J,K, and L, the circuits of which have for convenience been omitted, maybe controlled by the line relay LR" through front contacts 247 and 248of relay Simultaneously with the shifting of the control from the frontcontacts of relay SR to the front contacts of relay SR the control istransferred from contacts. of the relay LFR to contacts of therelay LFR(not shown). This'shifting of the control from the way station No. 2 toway station No. 3 through contact 1O3' 'of the relay BB is accomplishedin a manner as explained in connection withthe contact103 of the relayBB As just mentioned thehigh frequency relay HFR is now energizedbecause the rotating contact arm 10 engages the stationary contact 33,from which it appears that back contact 116 of therelay HFR is pickedup, thereby opening-the stick circuit for the relay LFR bearing in mindthat the pick-up circuit for this relay LFR is now open because thecontact 108 of the relay LE is now to the left. his thus seen howthecontrol may be shifted from one waystation to another, andsimultaneously will be shifted from one group of channel selectingrelays to another in the dispatchers oilice.

Reviewing this matter briefly, the relays A) B7 G91) a F7 a Hi I: J andL'WiH be successively energized one at a time and simultaneously witheach energization of a relay there will be energized, av correspondingrelay at one of the way stations, this corresponding relay having thesame reference letter having a distinctive exponent corresponding to thenumber of the way station applied thereto. Of these Way station relaysthe relays E F G and H only have been illustrated. Inpractice, therewill be a sufii- 'cient number of stationary contacts engageable by therotating contact arm 10to take care of all the station selecting relaysand channel selecting relays of the system, and these stationarycontacts will be spaced around" the entire circumference through whichthe contact arm 10 rotates; From this it appears that'each time that thecontact arm 10 starts upon a new revolution, the channel selecting relaysystem will be started on a new cycle of operation through the meclium'of contacts 46,45 and 47. 7

As already mentioned it is proposed to carry channelcircuits throughfront contacts of corresponding channel selecting relays, so that alarge number of distinctive control circuits'are sequentially set upeachof which includes the same message line wire. It readily appearsthat should one of these channel selecting relays be energized, or itsfront contacts remain closed for some reason or another, that one of thechannel branches might be held closed continuously thereby setting upfalse indication and control circuits,'were it not for the fact that thechannel circuits, as hereinafter explained are also carried throughfront contacts of the way station selee-ting relays, such as, relay LFRand similarly these message circuits are carried through front contactsof the dispatchers selecting relay such as SR In other words, themessage line circuit by the selection of a particular way station iscontinued throughthis way station so long as this way station'isselected, it being carried through the particular channel selectingrelay of such way station so long as such particular channel selectingrelay is energized, from which it appears that a wrong channel ormessage circuit could not be set up unless there were two failures, oneof which resided in the unauthorized closing of a way'station selectingrelay contact and the other of which resided in the unauthorized closingof the contact of a channel selecting relay. r

Also, it will be noted that if one of the channel selecting relaysshould get out of step, as in response to an impulse due to a lightningdischarge or the like, that these channel selecting relays will beresynchronized and brought back into step in the next following cycle,this because the channel selecting relays are initiated in responsetothe first impulse of proper polarity as the particular way station hasbeen selected, so that'they are necessarily resynchronized. Also, theselection of a particular way station at the proper point during therotation of the contact arm 10 is assured, even though such way stationselection should get out of step; falsely as by a lightning impulse, orthe like, in that at the end of the cycle ofoperation the various highfrequency relays HFRBI-IFR etc. are energized several times by thecontact arm 10 engaging the stationary resynchronizing contacts 250 and251, from which it ap pears that if a way station is still selected whencontact arm 10 reaches contact'250 it will be brought back in step bybeing cutout, so that at the beginning of the next cycle, the waystation No. 1 will be selected at the pro per time, namely when thecontact arm-10 engages the stationary. contact 21.

Let us now observe the operation of the system and see how operation ofthe switch machine lever SML in the dispatchers office will causeoperation of the switch machine SME located at way station No. 2. Let usassume that the lever SML is moved to its left hand dotted position,underwhich condition when the'way station No.2 has been selected and therelays H and H are simultaneously energized, the following circuit forthe switch machine relay SMR is momentarily closed thus operating therelay SMR to the left :beginning at the terminal B minus of the battery252, contact of lever SML, wire 253, contact 254: of the relay H, wire255, back contact 256 of the relay Gr,'wire 257, back contact 258 of therelay F, wire 259, back contact 260 of relay E, wire 261, front co.ntact'12l of relay SR WlEGQGQ, message line wire, wire 263, front contact264 of the relay LFR wire 265, back contact 266, of the relay E Wire267, back contact 268 of the relay F wire 269, back contact 270 of therelay G wire 271, front contact 2'72 of the relay H wire 273, winding ofthe relay SMR- wires 274, 275 and 276, to common return wire C connectedto the mid point of battery 252. The switch machine relay Eli ill isthus operated to its left hand dotted posi tion, and in turn throughsuitable circuits as more fully described in the prior application of S.N. Flight, Ser. No. 326,185, filed November 22, 1928, operates theswitch machine SME to its take-siding position.

Similarly, movement of the signal lever SL to its right-hand positionwill clear an east bound signal by reason of the application of positivepolarity to each of the following message circuits, which are closedsequentially as the relays F and G assume their onergized positionssequentially :(1) beginning at the positive terminal of battery 252,contact 9 of lever SL in its right-hand position, wire 280, contact 258of relay F in its raised position, wire 259, contact 260, wire 261,contact 12%, wire 262, message wire, wire 263, contact 264 of relay LFRwire 265, contact 266 of relay E wire 267, contact 268 of relay F 2 inits raised position, wire 281, winding of the relay CR wires 282 and 2.6, to common return wire C connected to the mid point of battery 252;and (2) beginning at wire 259, contact 260 of relay F1, wire 261,

contact 1%, wire 262, message wire, wire 263, contact 264 of way stationselecting relay LFR wire 265, contact 266 of relay E in its lowerposition, wire 267, contact 268 in its lower position, wire 269, contact270 of relay G in its raised position, wire 284-, winding of the relayDB wires 285', 275, and 276, to common return wire C connected to themid point of said battery 252. With the 're- 1 lays CR and DB assumingtheir right hand position, and with the switch machine EMF assuming 1tstake-siding position traffic is set up for east bound movement off ofthe sidthrough the medium of the clearing of signal 2 1 Similarly, ifthe detector track relay DT is deenergized in response to the passage ofa train thereover, the following circuit is mementarily closed througheach cycle ofoperation of the synchronous selector system beginning atthe negative terminal of the bat 287, contact 288 of the track relay DTin its retracted position, wire 289 contact 266 of relay E in its raisedposition, wire wire 291, common return wire C, wire 292,

tion of this circuit causes the indicating relay IR, which is a relay ofthe permanent magnet stick type, to be operated to its left handposition, whereby an energizing circuit for the indicating lamp I isclosed, thereby illuminating this lamp I and informing the dispatcherthat the detector track circuit at the east end of the passing siding PSis occupied.

Applicant has thus disclosed a train dispatching system of thesynchronous selector counting relay type, in which one way stat-ionafter another is selected sequentially through the medium of the samestepping circuit which controls the channel selecting relays, so thatonly 3 line wires including a common return wire are required, this onthe assumption that there is already a 60-cycle source of currentavailable at each way station. If no reliable 60-cycle source of currentis available a local source of distinctive alternating current may beprovided from battery driven generators or tuned vibrating circuitinterrupters instead of the transformers 11, 78, and 114. Also,attention is directed to the fact that not only are the way stationchannel selecting relays resynchronized with the way station selectingrelays, but the way tion selecting relays are resynchronized with thedispatchers oifice equipment at the end of each cycle of operation ofthe system all in a manner as heretofore explained.

Modified construction-Justead of passing the control from one waystation to the next way station by the provision of the chokes orinductances 15 15 etc, these chokes may be omitted and the control maybe transferred from one way station to the next way station through themedium of a separate wire 800 as shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings. Also,instead of connecting the various high frequency relays HF, HFR etc. inmultiple as illustrated in Fig. 1B of the drawings, these relays l-IFRand HFR will be connected in series as illustrated in Fig. 2 of thedrawings, each of these relays HFR and HFR (see Fig. 2) being connectedin multiple with its associated line relay L11 or LE as shown in Fig. 2of the drawings. In this connection it is desired to point out that thehigh frequency relay HFR and HFR shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings areconnected in series with an inductance 301 and 301 and a condenser 302and 302 respectively, the constants of these relay inductances andcondensers being such that each group is tuned to resonate at the highfrequency, the inductance of the line relay LR being suflicient toprevent the flow of high frequency current therethrough and with thehigh frequency relays tuned, as just explained, substantially all of thehigh frequency current will flow through the high frequency relays.Similarly, since the condensers 302 and 302 are respectively llii I theleft.

connected in multiple with the line relays LE and LE (see Fig. 2) allof'the direct current will flow through these 'line relays LE andLB-tThe arrangements for transferring the control from one way station to bythe terminal B and G in Fig. 2 of the' drawings, instead of alternatingcurrent. In tiis connection it should be noted that there is a slightdifference in the transfer circuit arrangements at the way station No. 1as compared with way station No. 2, in that the direct current selectingrelay D011 is picked up only whentlie line relay LR is to the right,whereas the direct current station selecting relay DCR is picked up onlywhen the corresponding line relay LE is to In other words, all of thestations having an odd number assigned thereto are selected when theline relays are in their right hand position, and all way stationshaving an even number assigned thereto are selected when the linerelaysassume their left hand position, this principle is taken advantageof in order to avoid the selection of more thanone way station ata-time. Obviously, instead of connecting the high frequency relays HFRetc. of Fig. 1B in multiple they may be connected in series in a manneras shown in Fig. 2, if desired. In view of the great similaritiesbetween the way station selecting circuits shown in Fig. 2 of thedrawings to that shown in Fig. 1B, and because the operatingcharacteristics and prin ciples are the same, it is believed unnecessaryto specifically describe the operation of the modified constructionshown in Fig. 2.

Having thus shown and described several" embodiments of the presentinvention and having shown a rather specific circuit arrangement forcarrying out this invention, it is desired to be understood that theparticular circuit arrangements selected have been selected for thepurpose of facilitating:

a; description of the underlying principles of the invention as well asits operating characteristics and features, and not with the intent ofshowing the scope of the invention or the exact construction preferablyemployed in practicing the same, and that various additions,modifications, andalterations may be made to adapt the invention to theparticular problem encountered in practi'cing the same, all withoutdeparting from the spirit or scope of t .e invention or the ideaof'means underlying the same, except as demanded by the scope of thefollowing claims. 7

What I claim as new is:

1. In a synchronous selector system for controlling railway traliiccontrolling devices; the combination with a line circuit in cluding aplurality of line relays in series; se arate circuit selecting device-scontrolled by said line relays, and means for rendering only one of saidcircuit selecting devices res onsivc to its asscciatedrelay at one timecomprising; a link circuit extending from one wa station another, andmeans for transferring the control from a previously responsive waystation to the next adjacent way station .including said link circuitand a contact of one of said line relays.

2.111 a synchronous selector system for controlling railway trafiiccontrol ing devices; the combination with a line circuit includinga-plurality of line relays in series; separate circuit selectingdevicescontrolled by said line relays, and means for rendering only oneof circuit'selecting devices responsive to its associated relay at onetime comprising; a link circuit extending from one way station toanother, and meansfor transf rring the control from a previouslyesponsive way station to the next adjacent way station including saidlink circuit and a contact of the line relay located at said nextadjacent way station. 7

3. In a synchronous selector system for controlling railway trafficcontrolling devices; the combination with a line circuit including aplurality of line relays in series; separate circuit selecting devicescontrolled by said line relays, and means for rendering only one of saidcircuit selecting devices responsive to its associated relay at one mecomprising; a link line wire for each way station extending from suchWay station to the next preceding way station, a way station selectingrelay, a transfer relay, a pickup circuit for said way station selectingrelay includin said linkv line wire, a con-' tact of the way stationselecting relay of the next preceding way station, a contact of a linerelay and a contact of said transfer relay. v v v Y 4.- In a synchronousselector system for controlling railway trafic controlling decontact ofsaid'transfer relay, a pick-up cir-- the next-preceding way station, acontact of ,a line relay closed only; when said line relayassumes one ofits two positions and a cuit for the next adjacent way station selectingrelay including the samewires and contacts of such next way station asthe aforementioned pick-up circuit except that the contact of the linerelay is one closed only when such line relayassumes the other .ofitstwo. positions; whereby it is impossible to pickup several-way stationselecting relays successively without changing the positions of saidline relays.

.5. In a train dispatching system of the synchronous selector type; thecombination Withasteppingwire,a message wire and a common return wireconnecting the dis.- patchers oflice andeach of a plurality of waystations; of a line relay and a transfer relay at the dispatchers officeand at each. way

.station operated distinctively by the flow of currents over saidstepping wire, a way station selecting relay at each way station, mean-sfor energizing one of said way station relays by current distinctivefrom the aforesaid distinctive currents over that portion of saidsteppingwire connecting said one relay with the next preceding waystation, synchronous selector.means controlled by said line relays, andway side signals controlled by said synchronous selector meansover. saidmessage wire.

-6. In a train dispatching system of synchronous selector type thecombination with a stepping wire, a message wire and a common returnwire connecting the dispatchers oflice and'each of a plurality of Waystations; of a line relay and a transfer relay at each way stationoperated respectively by the flow of distinctive direct and alternatingcurrents over said stepping wire, a way station selecting relay ateachaway station, means for energizing one of. said way station relaysby current distinctive from the aforesaid dis tinctive currents overthat portion of said stepping wire connecting said one relay with thenext preceding way station, synchronous selector means controlled bysaid line relays, and way. side signals controlled by said synichronousselector means over said message wire. V

7. In a. synchronous selector system for controlling. railway trafficcontrolling devices; the combination-with a stepping wire,

a'message wire and a common return wire 7 connecting. a dispatchersoifice and a plurality of way stations; a separate multiple channelsynchronous way station selector at each way station station selectingmeans for selecting only one of said way station selectors controlledover said stepping and common wire, acircuit for operating the selectedway station synchronous selector including said stepping-wire and commonwire, and a stepping and common wire, a circuit for operating by directcurrent the selected Way station synchronous selector including saidstepping wire and common wire, and a master synchronous selector meansin said dispatchers office operated in synchronism successively with thevarious way station synchronous selectors.

9. A synchronous selector of the stepping relay type comprising; a linerelay; a plurality of channel selecting relays arranged in order; apick-up circuit for each odd numbered channel selecting relay; includinga front contact of the next preceding channel selecting relay, abackcontact of the next succeeding channel selecting relay and a contact ofsaid line relay closed when it assumes one extreme position; a pick-upcircuit for each even numbered channel selecting relay including a frontcontact of the next preceding channel selecting relay, a back contact ofthe next succeeding channel selecting and a contact. of said line relayclosed when it assumes the other extreme position; and a stick circuitfor each channel selecting relay including a back contact of the nextsucceeding channel selecting relay.

10. A synchorous selector of the stepping relaytype comprising; a linerelay; a plurality of channel selecting relays arranged in order; apick-up circuit for each odd numbered channel selecting relay includinga front contact of the next preceding channel selecting relay, and acontact of said line relay closed when it assumes one extreme position;a pickup circuit for each even numbered channel selecting relayincluding a "selecting relay, and a contact of-said line relay closedwhen it assumes one extreme position; a pick-up circuit for each evennumcorresponding channel selecting relays of the 'dispat-chers relaybank and said way station bered channel selecting relay including afront contact of the next preceding channel selecting relay, and acontact of said line relay closed when it assumes the other extremeposition; and a stick circuit for each chan nel selecting relayincluding its own front contact and acontact opened upon the next.change in the position of said line relay.

I I IA synchronous selector ofthecounting relaytype compris ng; a polarline relay; a

plurality of channel selecting relaysarranged'in order; a pick-upcircuit for each odd numbered channel selecting I relay in' eluding afront contact of the next preceding channel selecting relay and acontact of said line relay closed when it assumes one polar position; apick-up circuit for each even numbered channel selecting relay includinga front contact of the next preceding channel selecting relay andacontact of said line relay closed when itjassumes the other polarposition; and a stick circuit foreach channel selecting relay includinga hacl: contact of the neXt'succeeding channel selecting relay.

18. A synchronous selector. of the counting in order ;a pick-up circuitfor each odd num- V bered channel selecting relay including a frontcontact of the next preceding channel selecting relay and aconta'ct ofthe next preceding channel selecting relay and a-contact of said linerelay closed when it assumes one polar position; a pick-up circuit foreach even-numbered channel selecting relay includingga'front contact ofthe next preceding channel selectingrelay and a contact of 'saidlinerelay closed when it :assumes; the other polar position; anda stickcircuit for each channel selecting relay including its own front contactanda contact opened upon the next change in the. position of said linerelay. 1 14.5111 a synchronous selector train dis patching system,thecombination with a bank 7' of neutral channel selecting relays in adispatchers ofiice, another neutral bank' of chan dispatchers officeanda linefrelay at said way station, an organ zat on of circuits andcontacts of said relays at said dispatchers office and at said waystation for causing simultaneousenergization of the first relay of theneutral bank at said dispatchers 'oflicc andat the first relay of theneutral bank of relays at said way station'when saidline re-,

lay isvenergized by current of one polarity,

' and for causing simultaneous energization of the second relayOZEStllCl dispatchers ofiice neutral bank and the second relayof the waystation neutral bank when said line relay is energizedby current of thereverse polarity,

of group selecting relays; a compound group of relays along the trackway including groups of channel selecting relays and abank of groupselecting relays; means controlled over said stepping wire for causingthe relays of saidtwo banks of group selecting relays tooperate-sequentially in synchronismand 1 for causing the relays of theselected groups of channel selecting relays to be operatedsequentiallyvand in synchronism; and ayside signals controlled over saidmessagewire including front contacts of corresponding groupselectingrelays and front contacts of corresponding channel selecting relays.

' 16. In a synchronous selector train dispatching system; thecombination with a stepping line Wire, a message line wire and a'com1non return wire; a plurality of direct currentline relays connectedin series in said stepping line wire; an alternating current relayconnected in multiple with each direct current relaythrough a condenser,whereby said direct current relays and said alternating current relaysmaybe controlled distinctively over said stepping line wire; synchronousselector meanscontrollcd bysaid alterhating current relays; othersynchronousfselector means controlled by said direct current relays; andwaysidev signals controlled through channel circuits: includingcontactscontrolled by said' first, mentioned and said second mentionedsynchronous selector means;v V v 17. lna centralized traffic controllingsys tem' of the synchronous selector type, the combination th a controlcircuit-and a message circuit, means at a centralolfice for applying apluralityof dlstinctivecurrents to said control circuit, one relayfo'reach distincti'ye current at a distant way station responsiveonly tosuch distinctive current, contacts at said way station in saidiness'agecircuit closed when said relaysassume their energizedpositions, contactsin said message circuit an'd at said dispatchers office closed when saidfirstmentioned contacts are closed, and means tortransmitting a messagecurrent over said message circuit. v w K 18. A centralized trafliocontrolling system'for railroads comprising; aiseries of stepping relaysinterconnected so that they may he successively energized, a'pick-upcircuit successively energized, a pick-up circuit for each of saidstepping relays including a front contact of the next preceding steppingrelay and a back contact of the next succeeding stepping relay, a stickcircuit for each stepping relay including a front contact of suchstepping relay and back contact of the next succeeding stepping relay,and means for energizing said pick-up circuits one at a time.

20. A centralized traffic controlling system for railroads comprising, aseries of stepping relays interconnected so that they may besuccessively energized, a pickup circuit for each of said steppingrelays including a front contact of the next preceding stepping relayand a back contact of the next succeeding stepping relay, a stickcircuit for each stepping relay including a front contact of suchstepping relay and back contact of the next succeeding stepping relay,and means for energizing the pick-up circuits of said stepping relays insuccessive order.

21. A centralized traffic controlling system for railroads comprising, aseries of stepping relays interconnected so that they may besuccessively energized, a pick-up circuit for each of said steppingrelays including a front contact of the next preceding stepping relayand a back contact of the next succeedingstepping relay, a stick circuitfor each stepping relay including a front contact of such stepping relayand back contact of the next succeeding stepping relay, a line relaycontrolled from a distant point, contacts associated with said linerelay which are alternately closed, one contact of said line relayincluded in the pick-up circuits of all odd stepping relays, and anothercontact of said line relay included in the pick-up circuits of all evenstepping relays. v

22. In a centralized traffic controlling system for railroads thecombination with a line wire and a common return wire, line relaysincluded in series in said line wire, a filter including an inductanceand a condenser in V series shunted around each line relay, other relaysresponsive to alternating current of a frequency which readily flowsthrough said filters, and selector apparatus controlled by said linerelays and said other relays.

23. In a centralized traific controlling system for railroads thecombination with a line wire and a common return wire, line relaysincludedwin series in said line wire, a filter including an inductanceand a y condenseriin series shunted around each line relay, other relaysresponsive to alternating current of a frequency which. readily flowsthroughi'saidi filters connected in multiple betweenwsaid line wire andsaid common wire, and selector apparatus controlled by said'line'relaysand said other relays.

24. In a centralized'traffic controlling systemfor railroadsthecombination with a line wire and a commonreturn wire, directourrentpolar relays included in series in said line wire, a filterincluding an inductance and a condenser in'ser-ies shunted around eachpolar relay, other relays responsive to alternating current of afrequency which readily'flows through said filters, and selectorapparatus controlled by said'Polar relays and said other relays. p

25. In centralized traffic controlling system for railroads thecombination with a line wire and a common return wire, direct currentpolar relays included in series in said linewire, a filter including aninductance and a condenser in series shunted around each polarhrelay,other relays responsive to alternating current of a frequency whichreadily flows through said filters connected in multiple between saidline wire and said common wire, and selector apparatus controlled bysaid polar relays and said other relays.

26. In a centralized trafiic controlling system for railroads thecombination with a line wire and a common return wire, line relaysincluded in series in said line wire, a filter including an inductanceand a condenser in series shunted around each line relay, a plurality ofway stations each having a line relay associated therewith, anotherrelay located at each way station and responsive to alternating currentof a frequency which will readily flow through said filter, a series ofstepping relays at each way station each controlled by the associatedline relay only when such particular way station has been selected, andway station selecting means for selecting one particular way station atone time controlled by said other relays.

27'. In a centralized traific controlling system for railroads thecombination with a line wire and a common return wire, line relaysincluded in series in said line wire, a filter including an inductanceanda condenser in series shunted around each line relay, other relaysresponsive to alternating current of a frequency which readily flowsthrough said filters connected in series with said filter, and selectorapparatus controlled by said line relays and said other relays.

28. In a centralized traflic controlling sys tem for railroads thecombination with a line wire and a common return wire, direct currentpolar relays included in series in said 12 Y I .'i,?95,684

line wire, a filter including an inductance and a condenser in seriesshunted around each polarr'elay; other relays responsive toalternatingcurrent of a frequency. which'readily p 5 flows through said filtersincluded in series with said filters, and selector apparatus controlledby said polar relays andsaid other relayspl t a 29. Ina centralizedtraific controlling sys- 10 tern forcrailroads the combination withaline V v 29 series with said filters, a series of stepping V relaysateach way station each controlled by Y the associated line relay onlywhen such par tioular way; station has been selected, and waystat-ionselecting means for selecting one 25 particularway station atone timecontrolled by; said. another relays. I p

, In testimony whereof I afiix my signature. OSCAR H. DICKE.

DIS'OLAIM ER 1,7 95,084.Oscar H. Diclce, Rochester, N. Y.TRAIN-DISPATCHING SYs'rEM FOR RAILRoADs. Patent dated March 3, 1931.Disclaimer filed February 16, 1934, by the assignee, General RailwaySignal Company.

Hereby enters the following disclaimer:

1. Your petitioner hereby disclaims from claim 7 any system, exceptwherein the station selecting means for selecting only one of said waystation selectors is controlled b-y alternating current.

2. Your petitioner hereby disclaims claim 11 which is in the followingwords, to

11. A synchronous selector of the counting relay type comprising; a linerelay, a plurality of channel selecting relays arranged in order; apick-up circuit for each odd numbered channel selecting relay includinga front contact of the next preceding channel selecting relay, and acontact of said line relay closed when it assumes one extreme position;a pick-up circuit for each even numbered channel selecting relayincluding a front contact of the next preceding channel selecting relay,and a contact of said line relay closed when it assumes the otherextreme position; and a stick circuit for each channel selecting relayincluding its own front contact and a contact opened upon the nextchange in the position of said line relay.

- [Ofiicial Gazette March 18, 1.934.]

